Glazed Nutcracker Cookies

Alert the Mouse King because these Glazed Nutcracker Cookies are prepared with a copious amount of chopped nuts! Using salted nuts balances out the sweetness of the delicate, soft cookie and provides ample crunch and texture. Make extra and share them with your friends – just don’t snack on them at the ballet!

I hope I didn’t totally mess up that introduction, because to be completely honest, I’ve never had the opportunity to see The Nutcracker! I don’t think I’ve ever watched an interpretation of it on television either. My knowledge of the Mouse King only comes from my daughter talking about him so much when she went to the ballet a few years ago. Either way, whether the reference is right or not, don’t let it deter you from making these Glazed Nutcracker Cookies!

These cookies are perfect for sharing. They pack well and will keep fresh for a few days in a cookie bag or box. Not only should these cookies be a part of your 2024 holiday baking, but make them a part of your annual cookie giveaway. Every year, we make up boxes or bags of cookies to share with neighbours. It’s so much work, but I love doing it. Nobody will get any of these though, because we ate them already!

As the name suggests, these cookies are made with nuts. In fact, there are two whole cups of finely chopped cookies in the cookie dough. That’s a lot of nuts, but they make the cookie so delicious. There is a nutty taste and texture in every single bite! I used mixed nuts and I used nuts that were salted. The combination of the sweet cookie and the saltiness of the nuts was such a wonderful balance.

I’m going to tell you all about this cookie recipe and how you can make it in your home this holiday season, but first, I want to tell you about what you can expect from Lord Byron’s Kitchen this Christmas. I know we’re getting closer to the big day, so it’s time to get to the cookie recipes! Before I get into today’s recipe, let me make mention of the three previous holiday confection countdowns that I just finished up this year.

Back in October, I kicked off the holiday season with a holiday recipe series called Lord Byron’s 12 Holiday Trifle Series and followed that up with a second series called Lord Byron’s 12 Holiday Breads and Loaves. Next was my 12 Squares and Bars Series, which was Volume 2 of that particular series.  

And now, I’m starting on this new series, which is the seventh annual instalment! I cannot believe that this is the seventh year in a row that I’ve shared Lord Byron’s 24 Cookies of Christmas! But, before we get to a list of ingredients and instructions for today’s recipe, let me tell you about this series and more!

LORD BYRON’S 24 COOKIES OF CHRISTMAS SERIES

Another holiday series, Lord Byron? Yes – why not!? Welcome, Dear Reader, to the fourth of my annual holiday recipe series for this season! This one is called Lord Byron’s 24 Cookies of Christmas – Volume 7! I will try to keep the recipes in this series quick and easy, just like in previous years. Even if a recipe looks complex, I promise you that it is not! My goal, as always, is to share recipes with you that are not too complex to whip up as a holiday treat for your family.

Like every other holiday series I’ve shared over the years, this series will share a new recipe every day for the next 24 days – even on Saturday and Sunday! You might be asking yourself, how many Christmas recipes could one possibly have or need? Well, I say you can never have too much of a good thing. And, I love having lots of choices. Who wants to prepare the same holiday recipes year after year?

SUBSCRIBE NOW SO THAT YOU NEVER MISS OUT ON NEW RECIPES!

So, welcome, Dear Reader, to Lord Byron’s 24 Cookies of Christmas series! Even though this is the fourth series for this holiday season, you can always look back at previous years if you just cannot wait until the next recipe is published. Also, some of my favourite recipe collections from previous years are my 75 Homemade Gifts from Your Kitchen, my 50 Make Ahead Freezer Friendly Christmas Recipes, and my 30 No-Bake Christmas Recipes post.

You really don’t want to miss one of these recipes, so if you have not yet subscribed to Lord Byron’s Kitchen, I encourage you to do so. That way, a new recipe will be emailed to you every day. You won’t have to bother to come looking for it! Like in previous holiday recipe countdowns, I like to mix up the recipes in the series so that there is something for everyone. Are you ready!!??

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO PREPARE THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare these Glazed Nutcracker Cookies. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

• Butter – Make sure your butter is at room temperature!
• Sugar 
• Egg – One large egg is all you need. Whenever you set out to bake, make sure your eggs are at room temperature too – just like your butter!
• Ricotta – This is the key to this cookie recipe. Not only does it add flavour, but it keeps these cookies soft and pillow-y.
• Almond Extract
• Flour – No need for anything special. Just use regular all-purpose flour. I have not tried this recipe with any other type of flour.
• Baking Soda
• Mixed Salted Nuts
• Confectioner’s Sugar
• Milk
• Sprinkles

HOW TO MAKE GLAZED NUTCRACKER COOKIES

Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat the butter for 2-3 minutes until the colour has lightened. Add the sugar and beat for another 2-3 minutes. Beat in the egg. Next, add the ricotta and almond extract. Beat until combined. Add the flour and baking soda to the mixing bowl. Beat until just incorporated. Finally, fold in the chopped nuts.

Use a cookie scoop to portion the dough into tablespoon amounts. Place the mounds onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving two inches between each mound. Bake for 13 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheets for 3 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack to finish cooling.

Once cooled, whisk the confectioner’s sugar and milk until creamy smooth. Using a teaspoon amount of the glaze, top each cookie, allowing the glaze to cascade down the sides of the cookie. The cookies do not need to be completely covered in the glaze. Immediately top with sprinkles. Allow icing to firm before packaging or storing.

WHY BAKE WITH RICOTTA?

I think ricotta is probably one of the most unappreciated cheeses there is here in North America. And, I think the Italians are brilliant for incorporating the ingredient into way more dishes than we do! Ricotta is light and fluffy, and that’s exactly what it’s going to do in your baking. Cookies, cakes, scones, pancakes, etc., can all use ricotta to give height, lightness, and of course moisture!

Baking aside, there are two recipes I have that use ricotta and I cannot get enough of them. The first is this Whipped Honeyed Jalpeno Ricotta. I shared this recipe as a part of my Christmas appetizer series and it was a hit! The second recipe was this Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Chicken. It remains to this day one of my favourite ways to prepare chicken! By the way, when you open a container of ricotta, there may be some liquid floating on top. This does not mean it’s spoiled. Just use a whisk to blend it back into the rest of the cheese.

STORING, PACKAGING, & FREEZING

When it comes to most cookies, they taste best at room temperature, but they don’t hold up well to being left out on your countertop for a long time. Cookies will stay fresh in a cookie jar or food-safe container with a lid for 3-5 days if left to sit on your kitchen countertop. You can store them in a food-safe container in your fridge. When you want one, two, or half a dozen, take them out of the container and place them in a single layer on a plate. Let them sit at room temperature for 5 minutes and they’re ready!

If you plan to freeze your Glazed Nutcracker Cookies, you certainly can! Pile them into a clean, food-safe container. The container must be freezer-friendly! You’ll want to ensure a very tight-fitting lid too. I use these quite often when freezing baked goods. I like to place a sheet of plastic wrap over the top of the container before pushing the lid on. This helps to create a better seal. The goal is to keep all of that freshness locked in!

You can freeze these cookies for up to three months. If you plan to give previously frozen cookies as a gift, I would lay them out on a wire cooling rack to thaw completely. Once thawed, pile into cellophane bags and tie with a ribbon, or stack in a cookie tin/box.

QUESTIONS?

If I have not answered all of your questions in the text above, don’t hesitate to reach out to me! You can contact me by sending me a message in the comments section further down the page. I will try my best to answer as soon as possible! You might reach me even faster by following me on Facebook and sending me a private message. Scroll down below the recipe card to find my Follow Me on Social Media box and never miss another recipe!

Finally, as I stated previously, every day I will be posting a new recipe. If you miss one, don’t fret. You can find my entire collection of Christmas Recipes right here! There are over 200 Christmas recipes and counting. There’s something for everyone! Cheers!